


The Marks You Left On Me

by SamanthaB



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Not really angsty but not fluffy either I guess, body modification: Tattoos, so... I hope you all like it!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-15 09:26:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3441956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamanthaB/pseuds/SamanthaB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where your words get marked on your soul mate's skin as handwritten tattoos, Oliver considers himself quite unlucky with his soul mate. He doesn't like him too much but they never even met. That will change soon though, not without a few bumps on the road of course...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Marks You Left On Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jaydeemz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaydeemz/gifts).



> Uhm, I would just like to say that English is not my native language so I'm sorry if there's a typo or a grammar mistake.  
> The tattoo idea was partially based on a fic the wonderful JayDeemz wrote herself :3

Oliver didn't usually go out, he didn't particularly enjoy it. The fact that he had to cover himself up completely didn't help at all either.

He was wearing a button up shirt and a cardigan over it just to make sure his tattoos were well hidden for they made him sick, but the looks he got because he was always covering up made him feel like he was a zoo animal.

Oliver wasn't exactly the type of guy to be considered hot. In fact, he looked quite nerdy with his coke-bottle looking glasses and the way he dressed and even his twink structure. So yeah, maybe he didn't exactly fit in in clubs like this but he was in great need of just having a night out and clear his mind off his daily troubles.

He could already feel his skin tingling, so early in the night, he sighed and discretely rolled his sleeve up to look at the new tattoo forming, he pulled it back down again before he could read it.

When Oliver got his first tattoo he had freaked out. He was around four when it happened but his parents quickly explained to him that it was just how soul mates worked. Oliver already knew about them, of course, he was almost a grown up! Of course he knew about soul mates! He just didn't know until then all the small details. That day his parents finally told him why he had to be careful with his words since every time he spoke the words would be marked on his soul mate's skin as a tattoo, now more than ever Oliver would have to be careful with what he said, he already knew his soul mate was out there, somewhere.

His parents had even showed the tattoos forming on each other's bodies as they spoke. Oliver couldn't stop himself from thinking it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever heard and even seen. He liked how the tattoos on his father's body had a careful and pretty handwriting - it somehow reminded him of his mother - while his mother's looked somewhat stronger with straighter lines - so much like his father.

After that conversation, Oliver felt excited because his better half was alive and now he had actually proof of that! Someday they would meet and it would be amazing. He couldn't wait to be as happy with his soul mate as his parents were together. He had looked down at his ankle once he was alone and just looked at the small letters that neatly formed the words "Bi' si'ter".

He spent his childhood waiting patiently for words to pop up on his body, it made him feel warm inside, his better half was still out there. Oliver wondered if they would meet soon, he wondered that every time he got a glimpse of the tattoos inked into his skin.

It wasn't a complete shock when one day he understood his soul mate was a boy from what he read from his body. Oliver was just glad his parents seemed to mind it as much as he did about that fact. Oliver still day dreamed with his soul mate, and he hoped his soul mate's parents wouldn't mind Oliver being a boy, he hoped his soul mate's parents were as nice as his own.

But then he grew, the older tattoos started fading, apparently that was something that happened with time, giving place to the newer ones. And that was when Oliver started not liking his soul mate.

It was when Oliver was in his early twenties. Suddenly it seemed like his soul mate didn't care about what he said and how he said it. And Oliver hated how he was so inconsiderate.

That was how Oliver's body slowly started to be filled with pick-up lines, dirty talking and random stranger's names. Oliver hid his body in shame because of that. He was ashamed to show everyone how his soul mate was and what he was doing to his body. The only thing he thanked for was the fact that the ankle tattoo was never covered by others nor did it fade away, that was the only one that somehow still gave this tiny part of Oliver hope.

Oliver downed his drink, hoping the buzz that would come from it would help his mood. He let the liquid burn down his throat, warming him up from inside as it brought a soft shade of pink to his cheeks. He breathed in and slowly felt himself get back to his normal colour as his cheeks cooled down. He gestured back to the bar to tell his friends he would get another drink and walked over to the counter avoiding the people on the dance floor and the couples that were on the tables around it just making out.

Oliver held up a hand when the bartender looked at him and then sat as he waited for his drink to be done. Even though he didn't go out much he always drank the same and they always came to this club so the bartender already knew well what he liked to drink.

Oliver was a quiet guy, he preferred to say the minimal possible and use gestures instead, thinking that he didn't want his soul mate to find him, ever. So maybe if he didn't say much his soul mate wouldn't have enough "material" to find him if he wanted. Other people weren't as quiet as he was but they were still careful with what they said, Oliver wished he would be that lucky with his so called soul mate. After all the tattoos took years to fade and still some never faded completely.

Oliver reached for his wallet to pay the drink when it was placed in front of him but the bartender shook his head. "Already taken care of." He said and gestured to a guy that was on the other side of the counter, throwing Oliver a breath-taking grin.

Well...

Everything about him was breath-taking. Oliver smiled shyly and mouthed him a thanks.

That seemed to be enough for said boy because he got up and walked towards Oliver, grinning. Oliver swallowed hard as he watched him. He was wearing a black suit that fitted him just right, a white shirt underneath and a dark skinny tie as well, his hair was impeccably brushed and styled and he had a trimmed beard framing his face and accentuating his amazing jawline.

Oliver cleared his throat and quickly smoothed down his shirt, suddenly feeling under dressed.

"Hi, my name is Connor." The other said extending him a hand, looking quite amused at something that Oliver obviously missed.

Oliver smiled shyly and shook his hand. He knew a Connor from somewhere but his mind was mush right now and he couldn't think from where was the Connor he knew. Damn, he needed to get laid, he was a bit desperate, wasn't he? How long has it been? A month maybe? Doesn't matter. Not at the moment.

In the back of Oliver's head there was a small voice trying to tell him something but he ignored even without listening. He also decided to ignore the tingling feeling he felt as he gained new tattoos, it wasn't like this was unusual. Friday night meant his soul mate was out looking for a new conquest and besides, he had started feeling it a while back so he was already zoned out.

"You look like you're a quiet person." Connor pointed out.

Oliver got himself a confidence boost out of thin air and leaned forward to speak, so Connor would hear him properly and he wouldn't need to repeat himself. "It's a noisy club, I don't want to waste words."

Connor smirked. "I bet your place is much quieter." He said.

It was like watching a perfect, smooth, shiny, clear glass break in pieces. Oliver had to laugh at that. That sounded just like the things he usually would find marked on his skin. He shook his head and shrugged at the guy before grabbing his drink and walking away because even though he was a bit desperate to get laid he was not going to sleep with someone who was just like the one person he hated. He was not that desperate.

A certain kind of emptiness grew in his chest once he started walking away but he ignored it, it was just the alcohol wearing off probably.

Once he was with his friends again he looked over at Connor, he was looking a back at Oliver, looking a bit shocked. Oliver bit his lip and sipped his drink turning back to his friends. He was regretting turning away from Connor already, but he had just momentarily gotten so annoyed with him he had to walk away. And now Oliver was too proud to just go back there and start a conversation.

Not even one hour later Oliver was all by himself by the table as some of his friends had gone home with their significant others or were dancing. Oliver kept looking around, telling himself he wasn't really looking for anyone.

"Looking for someone especial?"

It was Connor - the one Oliver was absolutely not looking for, why would anyone even think that? No.

Oliver looked over at him, not having an actual choice since the other man decided to stand right in front of him on the other side of the small table, and shrugged before shaking his head stubbornly. At the grin that Connor gave him, Oliver flushed and looked away.

Connor's grin turned into a smile. "I didn't mean to scare you off before."

 _You didn't._ Oliver thought, just shrugging.

"When I said that... I didn't mean... I didn't want to..." Connor struggled with his words, looking a bit uncomfortable. Maybe he wasn't used to not knowing exactly what he wanted to say. He was wasting words though, and that was annoying Oliver.

Oliver raised an eyebrow and faced him again.

"I just didn't mean it like that." Connor ended up saying, scratching the back of his neck, tipping his head down just so slightly and glanced away.

Oliver got sick of it. He raised a finger to his lips to shush Connor.

"Alright, I get it." Connor sighed and turned to leave.

Oliver wasn't sure why, it was not like he owed anything to Connor. They didn't know each other. But he reached for Connor's arm to stop him.

Connor frowned at Oliver, Oliver just sighed. What was he doing? His head was a mess, the music was too loud for him to actually be able to think properly, all he knew was that he didn't want to be alone the rest of the night and Connor wasn't really that bad of a company, right?

Oliver let Connor go as he rolled his shirt a bit, showing a couple of his tattoos to Connor, an eyebrow raising again to make his point.

"Oh... I don't believe in soul mates." Connor just shrugged it off.

Oliver kept his eyebrow raised, demanding an explanation.

"My sister was abused by her soul mate. It was pretty ugly. She's alright now though, happily married with someone who's not her soul mate, but... Watching her suffer through my childhood..." Connor shrugged again and there was a look on his face that told Oliver Connor had never told this to anyone else. There was conflict on Connor's face. Or maybe he had just drank too much.

Oliver walked around the small table to stand closer to Connor. He placed a hand on his arm gently, smiling a bit when Connor glanced right away up to look at Oliver's eyes. "It'll be alright."

Connor smiled and leaned over as if he was going to kiss Oliver making Oliver's breath itch and his heart skip a beat but then Connor leaned back before their lips touched and Oliver's smile dropped.

The older man watched as Connor reached for his drink and practically downed it. "Do you want to go watch a movie or something? You look like you need a cheer up." Oliver burst out before he could stop his own words.

And that was how Oliver found himself in his apartment with Connor.

And in his defence the night had started pretty innocent. They walked to the nearest movie theatre but as they saw that the only movie that was on after midnight was _Fifty Shades Of Grey_ they decided to head home instead, home meaning Oliver's apartment.

To enforce his defence, they actually started watching the movie.

But then, before Oliver could even tell, Connor had moved closer and surprisingly Oliver was the one to start the make out session that led to them being both in bed.

Oliver would be lying if he said this wasn't the best night he had. Not in a long time, but ever. That was something about Connor... The way he touched him, the way they kissed, the way their bodies reacted to each other and the way they fit perfectly.

There was a perfect mix of lust and affection between them that only got stronger as they moaned, whispered, breathed each other's names. Oliver didn't even feel the tattoos as they formed on his skin and Connor was too busy to notice the unfamiliar tingling feeling as well. At the moment neither of them cared but about each other.

The sky was clearing when they both got too exhausted to do anything else. The last thing Oliver remembered was Connor mumbling over and over again. "I gotta go home, I don't do sleepovers after sex."

But that night - or morning so to speak - Connor did indeed a sleepover after sex. And even better, he actually moved closer to Oliver to cuddle him as they both slept until late hours in the morning.

Oliver was the first to wake up. His eyes fluttered open and he breathed in deeply, smiling to himself as he saw the arm around his waist. Now that had been a really nice night.

He turned around to see if Connor was awake and when he wasn't he just took the opportunity to just cuddle him closer and enjoy. But when he was about to his eyes caught on a tattoo on his upper arm, Connor didn't have that many. He sat abruptly and moved away as he was able to make out what the blurry words were: "It's a noisy club, I don't want to waste words."

Connor made a sound and frowned, Oliver would actually find that adorable if he wasn't freaking out so hard. He reached for his glasses and read the few tattoos Connor had all over his body, the newer ones were all of Connor's name and Oliver felt sick to his stomach. He would actually be throwing up if his stomach wasn't empty.

"Oliver? What's wrong?" Connor slurred.

Oliver half groaned half whined as he scratched his skin when it tingled.

He got up from the bed and started shoving Connor's clothes against his chest. The law student's frown got more accentuated as he looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"Leave" Oliver spit out so angrily that the tattoo that formed on Connor's skin was darker and deeper than others usually would be.

Connor let out a startled noise and looked down at his side, eyes widening at the realisation. "Oliver, I..."

" ** _Leave!_** " Oliver repeated.

"Ouch! Oliver! That hurt!" Connor complained.

"I said, leave! Get out!" Oliver said pushing Connor out of the bed.

"Oliver, don't do this!" Connor asked. "Please, I'm sorry, just hear me out, please!"

Oliver was too angry, too sick with himself to listen to anything at the moment, he literally pushed Connor out of the door and slammed it on his face before going to take a shower.

If there were words forming on his skin he wouldn't know. The water on Oliver's shower was really hot, turning his skin red, he also scrubbed it really hard as if it would make all the tattoos go away. Before he knew, he was crying, the only thing giving it away being the violent sobs that made his body shake.

He was feeling confused. He hated Connor but at the same time he didn't. Last night had been amazing and now everything made sense. Why Connor had looked at him twice and why Oliver had wanted to go after him and why everything felt so incredibly amazing while they... Oliver shook his head.

It didn't matter. Connor had been the silent bully of his life. The one and only reason Oliver had closed himself away from people. He was the reason Oliver had to hide his body away, the reason why he had to look for deserted beaches if he wanted to enjoy the sun, the reason why people judged him for covering up and therefore assuming Oliver was a nerd not worth talking with. It was all Connor's fault and he couldn't appear overnight, give him one of the best nights ever and pretend everything was perfect. It wasn't. It was all a mess. Nothing was perfect.

After forcing himself to eat and changing the sheets, Oliver lied in bed again, he felt a bit drained and tired. Maybe because he didn't sleep that much after all.

His head had just rested down on the pillow when he felt a tingly feeling on his forearm. He reached for his glasses and looked down at it. _I'm sorry._ The handwriting was different than the rest of the ones on his body, the recent ones that is, looking at the one on his ankle it looked a lot like the handwriting on that one. Was it because Connor was being truthful for once? Oliver looked around his body the tattoos from last night all had that one handwriting.

Oliver shook his head. He didn't want to formulate theories around this. Not worth it. He would probably end up disappointed anyway.

"Leave me alone." Oliver said dryly.

It took a few minutes until he felt a tingly feeling on his leg. _Just give me a chance. I was wrong._

"You said it yourself, you don't believe in soul mates. So leave me alone."

_Just one more chance, Oliver. I'll make my best to deserve you._

"Stop writing lies and garbage on my skin." Oliver said harshly and he hoped that would come through when the letters appeared on Connor's skin.

And that was the end of it. At least that day. And that week.

Oliver was actually surprised to see no new tattoos through the whole week. Nothing. But if Connor thought that all that took was to keep his mouth shut for a week to have Oliver wanting him back... He was wrong. Deeply wrong.

It was Saturday again. Maybe too soon. Oliver was liking the workload he was having, it took his mind off Connor. It was somehow ironic that he had gone out to take his mind off work and now his work was helping him take his mind off that one night.

Oliver was arriving home from grocery shopping when he almost stumbled over a really beautiful white lilies flower bouquet. He frowned and lifted it up, smiling a bit. His smile dropped though as he saw the card.

Oliver didn't bother bring the flowers inside. He left them outside in the middle of the hallway, taking the card with him so if anyone wanted to take them they wouldn't know one of their neighbours was having a soul mate issue.

A few weeks passed and Oliver never felt his skin tingling. After a few days Oliver actually thought he was just not feeling it and started looking around his body for new tattoos, not that at this point he knew which would be new and which had been there for long enough to be the old ones.

Still, Oliver was pretty sure he wasn't winning new tattoos and so that was... impressive. Maybe Connor had really changed. No. No one changed overnight. But that was not quite true, was it? Oliver knew a bunch of stories of people who had literally changed overnight for their soul mates, maybe Connor was like that? But why? Was Oliver that worth it? Maybe that night had been as good for Connor as it had been for Oliver. Maybe he had an epiphany. A lot of maybes that Oliver didn't have answer for served him nothing, and yet he didn't want those answers.

It was actually still pretty confusing for him, every time he thought of Connor he thought of him fondly only then reminding himself that he wasn't supposed to like him, he didn't want to, but he did want to. Oh he wanted it so much. But he couldn't, not after all those years. But that night... It had been so perfect.

If anything Oliver thanked the workload he had at the IT department of the company he had, it was saving him a lot of money on psychological help.

Oh right because it wasn't just the fact that his own head kept playing him but sometimes he would get home and he would have flowers with cards with beautiful things written on them, or he would get home really late and he would have a take-out bag waiting for him, or he would find hot coffee by his door in the morning when he was leaving for work and... It was making everything so much harder. Connor was trying. Or at least it looked like he was, but still...

Was Oliver just being stubborn? Maybe.

It was a Wednesday. Oliver had just arrived home. He showered and dressed something comfortable before he went to make himself some dinner but he was interrupted by the doorbell before he could even start peeling his onions.

He frowned a bit as he walked to the door, he didn't usually have guests. He opened the door before his brain could remind him he should ask first who it was.

The polite smile on Oliver's face dropped as soon as he saw Connor standing in front of him, looking as gorgeous as ever, making his heart pound hard against his ribcage. He wasn't going to stand this, he didn't want to talk with him, it had been a month since they had been together and Oliver missed Connor even though he didn't really know him, but he wasn't sure he wanted to do this.

A foot stopped the door as Oliver tried to close it. Connor's foot. The other man raised up a small white board he had in his hands where a _I need your help, please. It's for School._ Could be read in black letters.

Connor had some nerve... How could he just appear at Oliver's door like this to ask for favours? Oliver tried to remain expressionless but truth was that it was great to see Connor again.

Oliver found himself with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow. Connor licked his lips nervously and turned the board to himself, he scribbled something before turning the board back to Oliver _I know you're an IT._

Oliver frowned. "How?"

Connor lifted his shirt a bit showing a tattoo he had on his left hip: _Welcome to the IT Department._

"Great." Oliver grumbled, it was good to know that maybe he wasn't as careful as he always thought he was. "Is that your new way of picking up people? It's original." He said pointing vaguely to the board and trying his best to sound bitter but not succeeding.

"I haven't done that." Connor's voice came out rough and for the first time in almost a month Oliver felt his skin tingling. Nice to know he still had sensory cells... And that Connor had really stayed silent for him.

"Why?" Oliver asked.

Connor shrugged. "I didn't want to disappoint you again." He muttered, looking slightly away.

Oliver's heart might have melt a bit at that. He nodded and gestured for Connor to step inside.

Not even twenty minutes later Oliver was hacking into some random lady's e-mail account. "So you've really been keeping it quiet..." Oliver said as the awkward silence was making him feel awful with himself.

"I don't want to mark your body with unnecessary words anymore, I feel bad enough as it is." Connor said, running a hand through his hair.

"Why do you care all of sudden? You didn't believe in soul mates." Oliver asked eyes locked on the laptop's screen. He heard Connor breathe in as he prepared to speak. "If you're going to make it long, make it worth it."

Connor breathed out. "That night... It was different than anything I ever had. I think I felt happy for the first time in a long time. And then you threw me out and the only thing I could think about was how stupid I had been and that I wanted to make it better. This soul mate business... It's more serious than I had imagined."

"For a law student you're not really good at arguing, are you?" Oliver asked, turning the laptop to Connor as the lady's e-mail was opened. "Also, you could have chosen someone with a less obvious name." He said.

Connor opened his mouth to speak but ended up chuckling nervously. "I just needed the excuse." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Oliver smiled a bit as he watched Connor. Alright, maybe things weren't exactly as he had thought before. "Why don't you stay for dinner... Walsh?" He asked, holding back a grin as Connor's face lit up.

Connor deserved his second chance, who else would ask a professional to hack into their own sister's e-mail account just to have a few extra minutes with their soul mate? It was so ridiculous, it was...

Connor. That's who.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :D


End file.
